


Your Best Nightmare

by meepers12



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Comfort, Dreams and Nightmares, F/F, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-21
Updated: 2020-09-21
Packaged: 2021-03-07 23:41:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,974
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26586037
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/meepers12/pseuds/meepers12
Summary: Lapis is forced to intervene when Peridot is afflicted with a particularly troubling dream. Takes place in a universe where the two have fully reconciled and developed a romantic relationship post-Reunited.A lil' comfort-oriented one shot that marks my foray into the realm of Lapidot fics.
Relationships: Lapis Lazuli/Peridot (Steven Universe)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 34





	Your Best Nightmare

Ensnared in the clutches of sleep, Lapis had little to interact with save for a haphazard jumbling of emotions, sensations, and unconnected streams of thought. It was hardly a matter of concern for her, seeing as her own lucidity was as intangible as all the elements which now assailed her. If anything, it was preferable to the alternative: lifelike mental recreations of all the harrowing memories she had come to suppress. The static, featureless sky above the warp pad that provided her only company for thousands of years, the massive, orange fingers that wrapped around her ankle mid-flight, were all elements of her past that she was content with excluding from this ethereal realm. Not like it was a conscious choice; many bouts of sleep weren’t as comparatively peaceful as the one she was experiencing right now.

It was acceptable enough that Lapis couldn’t help but feel a pang of annoyance as the unconscious realm loosened its grip on her and she began to rouse. It would’ve been easily mitigated by the greeting of a bright, new day, but only feeble rays of moonlight penetrated the window adjacent to Lapis and Peridot’s bed. 

As Lapis gradually experienced a restoration to mental clarity, the disturbance which prematurely ended her slumber became apparent. Barely visible, inhabiting the furthest corner of her vision, was a pinprick of light. Languidly tilting her head to the side, Lapis brought the whole anomaly into view. It appeared as a rectangular, faintly green holographic screen. Lapis traced the source of the projection back to the gemstone of the Gem currently inhabiting the same bed as her.

Lapis noted that Peridot was still in the position they had assumed while cuddling prior to falling asleep: the verdant Gem was firmly attached to her partner’s side, a length of memory foam-esque blonde hair splayed across the point of contact where Peridot’s cheek met Lapis’ chest. In spite of the apparent activity of her gem, the technician remained asleep, her biologically unnecessary breathing maintaining the slow tempo that was characteristic of those in a state of rest.

Allowing herself only a moment to gaze affectionately upon the Gem for which her heart sang, Lapis turned back to the hologram, whose features became visible as Lapis’ body fully completed the transition to awakeness. To both her surprise and concern, Lapis was greeted with a view of herself, albeit with the distinctly green palette produced by Peridot’s gem. She, moreover, recognized that this Lapis donned her previous attire - a long, flowing skirt complemented by a crop top. 

Confusion had little time to set in as the projection suddenly produced a familiar, nasally voice. The pleading, hopeful tone that the voice came to assume combined with the words it spoke made Lapis immediately cognizant of the situation being presented to her:

“Earth is our home now! Isn’t it worth fighting for?”

Lapis’ breath hitched at hearing the conclusion to a speech she had never allowed herself to forget. All the associated feelings of guilt that had only been suppressed by the forgiving and loving nature that Peridot had greeted her return with so long ago came bubbling back up. A deluge of self-reproach momentarily threatened to derail her attention to the response she knew was coming.

“I’m not getting stuck in the middle of another war.”

Her distress was only further augmented as a glimmer of disdain inexplicably appeared in hologram Lapis’ eyes. In an unfamiliar manoeuvre, dream Lapis whirled around to reassume her confrontation of dream Peridot. Her voice dripping with contempt, she continued her condemnation of the Kindergartener’s preferred course of action:

“I’m also not about to get stuck with the naïve, pathetic Gem you’ve proven yourself to be!” she snarled.

Peridot reeled as if struck. Lapis could see the very confusion and anguish she was currently experiencing painted across the face of her partner’s dream equivalent. Peridot appeared to make an effort to gather her thoughts and formulate an appropriate response, but the attempt was clearly inhibited by her emotional turmoil. Dream Lapis continued her onslaught, drawing nearer to Peridot and pointing her finger accusingly.

“It’s about time you realized that, stars, this whole affair, this whole ‘dynamic’ we’ve constructed...” Lapis looked up exasperatedly and reached her arms out in emphasis before resuming her tirade, “...is founded on nothing but pity. Existential threat from the Diamonds or not, this has been a long time coming. You are nothing to me,” she hissed, venomous distaste saturating her every word.. 

Tears welled up in hologram Peridot’s eyes. Emotional agony that Lapis wouldn’t even wish on Jasper held Peridot in a stranglehold for only a moment longer before abandoning her to sorrowful resignation. 

Unable to meet holo-Lapis’ gaze, Peridot hung her head and, at a barely audible volume, whispered: “You’re right. I am worthless.” She failed to stifle a choked sob before continuing: “I should’ve known that this would never last, that you felt this way.”

Although not being particularly fond of the original resolution to this encounter, Lapis found it a millionfold more preferable to the verbal slaughter transpiring before her eyes. She turned back to her partner, hoping to find solace in Peridot’s peaceful, sleeping visage. Instead, the bluenette was greeted with a pained grimace and tears sullying the face of the sleeping Gem. Peridot was clearly embroiled in an agonizing reliving of Lapis’ departure years ago, with dream Lapis’ emotional convictions being granted a whole new layer of cruelty in accordance with the nightmarish experience her mind was constructing for whatever reason.

Lacking any capacity to influence the projected happenings of Peridot’s mind, Lapis instinctively moved to comfort the Gem resting atop her chest. Her hand moved to the center of Peridot’s triangular mound of hair, and she began to methodically massage the technician’s scalp. She moved in slow, rhythmic circles, desperately hoping to ease her partner’s pain. 

Like clockwork, Lapis almost instantly noticed a change in Peridot’s expression. Her furrowed eyebrows and scrunched up features gradually relaxed. Neutrality returned to her face once more before evolving further into bliss, made apparent by the elicitation of a barely audible, low grumble that Lapis instantly recognized as her partner’s signature purr. 

Contented with this state of affairs, the hydrokinetic returned her gaze to the hologram Peridot’s gem was producing. She was both shocked and delighted to see a sudden shift in dream Lapis’ disposition. The Gem backed down from her aggressive posture, and the menacing quality of her face was swiftly supplanted by sorrow matching dream Peridot’s.

“I’m sorry, Peridot! I...” she was interrupted by a sob she failed to hold back. Reserving just a moment to compose herself, Lapis drew a breath in and continued: 

“I wanted to make you hate me. I figured if my image was tarnished in your eyes, it would make our separation a lot easier…” she admitted with regret.

Peridot looked up in astonishment, clearly intending to formulate a reply before she was interrupted by Lapis, her voice heavy with grief:

“But, stars, I should’ve seen this sooner. I don’t want to leave. This is our home. You’re my home. I don’t know how I ever could’ve considered letting a couple of Diamonds get between us.”

Peridot sniffled, permitting a couple of hopeful tears to appear at the fringes of her glistening eyes. “Lapis… do you really mean it?”

The sudden hardening of Lapis’ face as it regressed to anger wrenched real Lapis back to reality. The water Gem was so engrossed in Peridot’s mental film that she had allowed her caressing to slow to a halt. Restraining her feelings of urgency so as to not render her movements fast and panicked, Lapis gradually resumed massaging Peridot’s head. She was relieved to see this action translated seamlessly into an alteration of dream Lapis.

Hologram Lapis’ momentary grimace morphed into a sad smile complemented by a spark of affection in her eyes. She lunged forward and enveloped Peridot in a loving embrace.

“Of course I do, you clod.”

Shock rapidly dissipated in favor of pure joy, culminating in Peridot eagerly hugging Lapis back and letting the last vestiges of her sorrow be leached out by the final tears that rolled down her cheeks. 

“I love you Lapis.”

Lapis’ smile widened.

“I love you too, Peridot.”

The tender exchange and the pure, unabated love present therein vanished with a crackle of green light as the hologram disappeared and Peridot’s gem grew dark. Satisfied with her triumph, Lapis turned back to her girlfriend. The brief interlude of silence that followed the end of Peridot’s dream was interrupted by a soft snort of laughter, succeeded by a sigh of contentment, after which Lapis closed her eyes and welcomed the return of her own slumber. 

*********************************************************

Lapis’ next awakening was far more pleasant than her previous one, largely owing to it not being induced by unsolicited holograms. Rather, it was the first rays of sunlight the day had to offer filtering into the Gem’s bedroom that compelled her to finally wake. 

Lapis was initially concerned by the notable absence of her partner in their bed, but her worries were quickly dispelled when she picked up faint, nasally mutterings coming from elsewhere in the house. Suppressing any disappointment regarding the absence of prospects for early morning cuddling, Lapis sauntered to the door frame that separated the bedroom from the rest of their shared residence. Peeking out, she caught a glimpse of what looked like Peridot hunched over a partially disassembled robonoid, flanked by various other robonoids and an assortment of mechanical sundries.

“Well someone’s up early. What happened to the Peri I’m familiar with, the one infamous for refusing to get out of bed and address her many responsibilities?” Lapis questioned with a playful tone.

“Oh, Lapis! You’re finally up.” 

Peridot, unfazed by Lapis’ sudden appearance, straightened her posture and turned around to greet her girlfriend. 

“The Peridot you speak of has been temporarily substituted for one brimming with inspiration and purpose!” she proclaimed with a crescendo of excitement and boldness. 

“As a result, I’ve elected to get an early start on completing robonoid maintenance, so that these guys may feel as good as I’m feeling today,” she finished. The robonoid she was tinkering with enthusiastically tapped one of its legs against the hardwood floor, almost as if in response. Peridot, choosing to interpret it as such, turned to the emerald spheroid.

“Yes, even you Steven Jr., in spite of all your shortcomings,” she sighed with exasperation.

Lapis fully emerged from the bedroom and advanced towards Peridot, taking care not to disturb any of the parts scattered around her. Upon arriving, she made her presence known by planting a feather light kiss on the Kindergartener’s right cheek, extracting a giggle from the green Gem.

“Mhm… and to what might I credit this pleasant change of pace?” she purred, resting her chin on the technician’s shoulder. Peridot whirled around with a lighthearted laugh and captured Lapis in a brief, passionate kiss, earning her a snort accompanied by a giggle from her hydrokinetic partner. 

“No idea! We can only assume my Happy Lappy’s happy vibes rubbed off on me in the middle of the night” she chuckled, turning back to the exposed circuitry of Steven Jr. 

Lapis, taking a moment to compose herself after her partner’s loving assault, pulled Peridot into a hug from behind and nuzzled up into the side of the green Gem’s neck. The latter’s mention of the happenings of the night before threatened to spawn, in Lapis’ mind, invasive lamentations about a never-forgotten mistake, about a short-sighted departure and the anguish it inflicted. Nestled up against the love of her life, however, Lapis found it effortless to let those thoughts drift away in a gust of contentedness, fading like the hazy apparitions of a dream upon their creator being awoken.

“Yeah, I guess so.”

**Author's Note:**

> Gosh, aren't they adorable?
> 
> Thanks for reading my first Lapidot fic. I hope the eventual fluff payoff was worth the initial angst.


End file.
